Mehbooba seeks backward status for Banihal in J

Srinagar, Nov 27 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti today said the Government must fulfill the long-pending demand of granting backward status to some remote areas in Banihal.

Addressing a series of public meetings in Banihal, she said the people living in these areas were facing immense hardship due to the non-availability of even the basic amenities of life.

Ms Mufti said residents of some of these areas have already represented to the government for grant of backward status. Keeping in view the difficult terrain and miserable living conditions of the people in these remote areas, the government must favourably consider their demand, she added.

The PDP president said the government must also look into the demand of locals for removing disparities in the compensation awarded to them by the railways. In many villages, different parameters have been used for awarding compensation by the railways, which was a great injustice to these poor people, she added.

Ms Mufti said the families whose houses have suffered damages due to the ongoing construction of a railway tunnel at Banihal must also get due compensation as they were living below the poverty line and could not afford to construct new structures on their own.

The PDP chief said the locals must get preference in labour and jobs in the railways as they have limited sources of income. Most of the people in these areas complain that they were not getting any benefit from the railways, she added.